As you become more entrenched in the keto diet, one depressing fact becomes crystal clear: most condiments and dressings contain quite a lot of sugar. This is, of course, why they taste so good and why we keep going back for more.
Many people don’t even consider making their own keto salad dressing because they’ve gotten into the habit of buying salad dressings from the supermarket. However, making a keto salad dressing from scratch takes such a short amount of time that it’s almost silly to rely on the bottled stuff. Also, even though different dressings may claim to be keto friendly, there are always additives and preservatives included to extend the shelf life of the product. Furthermore, homemade dressing just tastes better!
The question is how to keep the deliciousness of salad dressings while leaving out the sugar? Upon researching what people eat around the world, we found loads of keto salad dressing ideas which can be drizzled, tossed and poured to your heart’s content.
Our test kitchen has tried many variations on the keto salad dressing ideas below to bring you the best tasting versions. Try some tantalizing tahini, tangy tzatziki, creamy Caesar and more. You can enjoy your food and dress up your veggies with these fun and exotic ideas.
American Ranch Keto Salad Dressing
Whether you douse your salad with it or dip chicken wings into it, everyone has a favorite way to eat a classic ranch dressing. This version leaves out the traditional buttermilk and replaces it with keto-friendly whipping cream.
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup sour cream
½ cup full-fat mayonnaise
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise and whipping cream together very well in a bowl.
2. Add herbs and spices and whisk again.
3. Place in refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving or serve immediately with warm foods, such as chicken.
4. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
American Creamy Mustard Dressing With MCT Oil
We chose another American classic for a mustardy take on a thick dressing. This also included MCT oil which has the added benefit of boosting ketosis. When buying MCT oil, make sure to look for 100% purity on the label so you can get the most effective weight-loss results.
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons mustard
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons MCT oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Peel garlic and mince. Sprinkle with kosher salt as you mince in order to turn it into a paste.
2. Add all ingredients together in a mason jar or any container with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Shake well until all ingredients are combined.
4. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Greek Tzatziki Dressing
Even though tzatziki is traditionally served with warm pita bread, this is just as delicious to eat with vegetables. If you’re serving as a dip, keep it this thickness. If you would like to toss it over greens for a keto salad dressing, then thin out with a bit more olive oil and/or vinegar, depending on your taste preferences.
INGREDIENTS:
½ of a large cucumber, unpeeled
1 ½ cups plain full-fat Greek yogurt
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
INSTRUCTIONS:
Start preparations the night before you wish to serve the tzatziki.
1. Grate the cucumber and drain through a mesh sieve. Leave to drain overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Combine the yogurt, garlic, oil, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day:
3. Combine the grated cucumber and the yogurt mixture and gently mix in the fresh dill.
4. Leave in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
French Keto Salad Dressing
This simple vinaigrette is traditionally served over a big green, leafy salad. Shallots are a type of onion which are much smaller and milder than regular onions. It’s worth it to buy shallots instead of substituting with yellow onions as it will completely change the taste of this keto salad dressing.
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup shallots, finely chopped
¼ cup white wine vinegar
3-4 tsp Dijon Mustard
½ cup olive oil
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients in a mason jar or container with a tight-fitting lid.
2. Shake very well until all ingredients are combined.
3. This will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Mexican Caesar Keto Salad Dressing
Mexican recipes are known for their spicy kick and burst of incredible flavors. It was hard to choose one recipe for this keto salad dressing compilation, but once we learned that Caesar Salad originated from Mexico, the choice was made for us.
Traditionally, Caesar Salad is made with croutons but this dressing is so rich that you won’t even miss them. Toss this over romaine lettuce and add cucumbers for an extra crunch.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste
Zest from 1 medium-sized lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon white vinegar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. If you have a blender, place all ingredients inside and blend until they are combined.
2. If you are whisking by hand, first finely mince the garlic by using a large knife and sprinkling with kosher salt which will help turn the garlic into a paste.
3. Whisk all ingredients together very well.
4. Refrigerate at least a few hours before serving.
Middle Eastern Tahini
If you’ve visited the Middle East, you know that people there will drench everything from their falafel balls to their camels in tahini. Because tahini is incredibly versatile, you can make it thinner and serve it as a dressing or make it thicker and use it as a dipping sauce. It compliments all different textures and flavors, from meat to vegetables and everything in between.
The ingredients are simple which means the key is in the way it’s prepared. The first step of combining the tahini paste with lemon juice is a crucial one and a step that many people miss. Additionally, mincing the garlic into a paste (as mentioned above) will ensure that the flavor is infused correctly so that you will not have chunks of garlic throughout the tahini.
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup raw tahini paste
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup ice-cold water
¼ teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Whisk tahini paste with fresh lemon juice until completely combined.
2. Peel and mince garlic using a large knife and kosher salt in order to form into a paste.
3. Add garlic and salt into tahini mixture and stir to combine.
4. Lastly, slowly drizzle in water while stirring to combine.
5. For a dressing consistency, add more water. For a thicker dip, add more lemon juice.
Italian Keto Salad Dressing
The version of Italian dressing that Americans know and love isn’t really what native Italians actually eat. By leaving out the added sugar or corn syrup, the keto version of this Italian dressing is much closer to being authentically Italian.
INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
2. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Asian Salad Dressing
Some simple ingredients whisked together to give you the Asian flavors you crave on your fresh veggies. This keto salad dressing also works nicely with fish.
INGREDIENTS:
7 tablespoons sesame oil
½ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter or almond butter
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together to combine.
2. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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